New Atlanta School Board, New East Point Mayor After Fulton County Run-Off Elections

Unlike the Atlanta City Council and mayor’s office, the city’s school board will look radically different when it begins its tenure in 2014. Reuben McDaniel, who has led the board for the last two years, was ousted in Tuesday night’s run-off elections and Atlantans chose a grand total of six new members for the board of education.

In a surprising turn of events, McDaniel was defeated handily in the run-off for the District 8 At-Large seat by attorney Cynthia Briscoe Brown. McDaniel led all candidates in the Nov. 5 general election in which he faced four challengers, but lost to Brown by nearly 5,000 votes in the run-of. His loss followed that of Brenda J. Muhammad in November, making it six of the nine total board members who will not be returning to their posts next year. Four other members of the board did not seek reelection.

Also on Tuesday night, Steven Lee, Eshe Collins and Jason Esteves were victorious in their run-off elections, winning District 5, District 6 and District 8 At-Large seats respectively. Lee won by around 600 votes, Collins by just over 400 and Esteves defeated challenger Lori James by more than 6,000 votes. Both at-large districts were on the ballot for all Atlanta voters, while only other posts were on the ballots only to voters in respective their districts.

The incoming board will be expected to make some big decisions quickly, including hiring a new superintendent for the district. Current Supt. Errol Davis is set to leave the post next year.

In greater Fulton County, the City of East Point elected new mayor Jannquell Peters. Peters defeated Clyde K. Mitchell to replace Mayor Earnestine Pittman, who finished third in a four person race in November.

The city also decided two City Council races in run-offs, with Sharon Shropshire defeating Sharonda Hubbard for the Ward A post, and Deanna Ingraham defeating Jackie Gibbons to win in East Point’s Ward D.

In Sandy Springs Andy Bauman won his contest over John Stoj for District 6 representatives and in John’s Creek Cori Davenport beat out Karen Richardson in their city council race.